Table trolley, or the like



Aug. 29, 1950 L. e. HAWKINS TABLE, TROLLEY OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 19, 1947 Inventor m h u I H G I m n u l L y B Aug. 29, 1950cs. HAWKINS 2,520,543

TABLE, TROLLEY OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 19, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AttorneyPatented Aug. 29, 1950 :etmsea TABLE, TROLLEK ORTHE' LIKE-LawrenceGeongfe fiawkinai domiEn'glandg as- Company. Limited,

Application August 19, 19 SEriaINOQTGEJAUG In Great" Britain October I;"1946' in the -chamber beneaiththe" recess or containers so as to heath'esam'e;the' surface'are'a'of'the ehamtep attid tl-ieheatradiatingproperties of-the same #being such 'that the food products will bemaintained thew-desired temperature for comsumption.

. sti ll iurther feature" of the inventioncontsrin -proviiziing thechamber with one or more openings; provi'dec t withdoors or the like,through SHGS thesaidpiatform or surfiarcesto asubstantiaily Yplates-maybe inserted into the: chamber parallel position'vin which"it-"extends from the steam theftaible *ortrolley to form an additional=tabiessurfaoe .tor platferm. ":=The.flappreferably covers the entireupper t-suiiface': of the-trolley When-:overl-ying the-same. "accordingtoa featime of the-invention two $11 611 hinged zfiaps are pi.ovided:,-*eacl'i adaptedv imrone position to" overl-ie the epper surfacevof thetrolley, one above the other;andeachwadapted to swing or pivot-Jimopposite directions .-so .a-s ::-to'-'form--extensions suroniopposite'sides oi the trolley.

Froman-ether" aspect, -Ethe"inventi0n consists .-in-:-a-tab1e or-trolleycomprising =a.=box-like-;eham- .be-r supported on -legs,.-:preferably-:provided with wheels or @casters at their -1ower "ends;-;the uppersurface of the box-rlikechamber lbeing"provided .withirecesses I or v,removable containers within which :food products may be placed, whereinmeans areprov-ided for: heating the chamber:- for l. 1-6 theaacnamberiithrough: which the 'p1ates 'may""=be inserted.

'- z itnrorder'thatiitheinvention maybe more clearlyunderstood,ram'embodiment thereof will now be Fei'escribed with rreference to the accompanying ';:Fig'llT6Zl showman: perspective view ofthe troli'eyt with heflaps extended;-

Eiig-nrei2ashowsaa aplan view; .riFig-ttiteiB showsr-a'section in avertical plane along. fthe'ainefA- fA of Figure 2, but-with the napsole-semiarid.

' :Eigurewi shows :a: section in'averticalplane saiongi;,' thezl'lineB-i-B rof- Figure but "withthe flaps'olosed.

warming or keeping warm the food products con- Reierring4tozfitheidrawings, the-'trolleyis contained in the recesses. or: containers andr wherein *the table-or trolleyis provided wit-ha hingedwfiap which canbeswung tromi oneipositiommavhich .it-overliesthe-said. upper surface toa -substan tiailyaparallel position inWhich i-t extends from the-side ofthe stable aor? trolleyltozform anaddi- ;-tionai table surfacecrplatform. When the flap is positioned over the upper surface: otthezeham- ,bern it. constitutes ali-d over the. recesses on. con.-Jtainers for the tood. products. a. If v.desired, each of the recessesor containers. may alsovbe provided with separate removable lids which.prefer" ably completely close .therec'es'ses or containers ,to preventthe 'moisturepmthe food" products fron'ibe'ing'"evaporated. v

' Preferably two hinged flaps are' "providedfieach "adapted in oneposition to overlie the uppersu'r- "face oft'he'heated chambenbne above'the other, -andeach-adapted --to swing" or "pivot in oppositeFdirections so as to form extension table surfaces ist'rireted four'legs-i "which maybe conven-ieiitly formed of tubular metal, each'pain'ofat each end or the trolley beingforme'd "iicrrri a single length oftubing which isbe'nt to foi'-m' trztrisversehandles *2 at the topends'ofthe trolley. The end members thus formed mayibe "interconnected'by'top and bottom side members f-3;, 4', respectively, which may alsobe formed 'flomtubxi-lstr metal disposed at each side'of the MOtrolieypand further-bracing and spacing members and 5 also of tubularmetal; may be attached b tween eends-of-the pairs of spacing members*respective'ly', "as shown in 'the drawing. "I'he -i'oottornsrof thel'egg-l may be provided with wheels 7 so that *the trolley may beeas'flymoved about.

' -Secm'ed between the four legs or the trolley and' jiist-below theupper "side and" end spacing i f mbers 3 and 5 is *a metal box-likechambert constituti-ng" the-"heating chamber. The upper 4.5 =s'ni'i aceE of- 'th'e chamber'is' providedwith' a series atiy oi the 1 black -heattype; -which are disposed "Pyrex." Ea'elrcontainer-may be provided witwa2,520,543 I. is F? to accommodate a few stacked plates (not shown).plates to be warmed is obtained through doors l6 Access to the chamberfor inserting arranged at opposite ends of the heatingchamber 8, whichdoors are preferably hinged along their bottom edges. The flexible cablelead from the trolley, when not in use, may be wound around the membersHa. v supply is connected to the chamber through the junction box 11.Preferably electric sockets are provided on the side of the chamber l8to which other electrical devices, suchas a toaster or coffeepercolator, may be connected.

The top of the chamber is closed by a flap I! which is hinged so as tobe swung to form a servlug-platform at the side of the trolley. A secondflap 29 is also provided which is adapted to overlie the flap l9 abovethe chamber when both flaps are positioned thereabove. Each flap ishinged to the trolley about the adjacent upper side spacer member 3. Forthis purpose, the flaps l9 and are formed with flanges 2 l 22respectively'at their opposite ends which are provided with apertures23, 24 respectively at their inner ends to swing about the side members3. The positioning of the aperture 23 is such that the flap l9, whenfolded to overlie the heating chamber, lies close against the upper rim53 thereof. The-exposed surface of the flap I9, when in this position,may carry a knob '25 to facilitate it being raised and swung to theextended position. Bearing aper- .tures 24in the flanges 22 of the otherflap 20 are so positioned that the'flap 29 can overlie the flap IS in asubstantially horizontal position when it is folded above the heatingchamber. It may also carry a knob 25 to facilitate it being raised.

The two flaps i8 and 20, together with their flanges, may convenientlybe made from sheet metal, the flanges 2!! of the flap I9 being morewidely spaced than the flanges 22 of the flap 20 whereby the flap 20 mayfit within the flanges 2| of the flap I9 when both flaps are folded overthe heatingchamber. Spacer members 2'! may be provided over the tubularside member 3 carryingthe flap 20 to ensure its fitting within theflanges 2! of the flap it when both flaps are folded over the heatingchamber.

When in the extended position, the inner edges Zia, 22a of the flanges2|, 22 respectively engage the side walls of the heating chamber 8 tohold the flaps in a substantially horizontal position.

A lower platform 28 may be provided on the trolley beneath the heatingchamber and may be conveniently carried by the lower spacer members 4and 6. This lower platform is removable and supported on angle-pieces 29carried from the spacermembers- 4 and 6 adjacent the corners thereof.These angle-pieces 29 maybe made of strip metal and be formed at theirends with semi-cylindrical portions 30 disposed at right angles to oneanother whereby each angle-piece may be supported across a cornerbetween two adjacent spacer members. The lower platform, which may bemade from sheet metal and provided with a flange 28a along one or-moreof its edges, is supported upon'the angle-pieces 29 -posi-.

The electric 'mains 4 tioned at the four adjoining corners of the bottomspacer members.

By means of the arrangement described, food products placed within thecontainers II may be kept warm at the desired temperature for servingfor long periods of time. The lids l2 prevent the'moisture from beingevaporated from the food product. The surface area of the heatingchamber and the heat radiating properties of the same are such that, forthe heat generated by the heaters M, the food products will bemaintained at the desired temperature for consumption.

Whilst a particular embodiment has been described, it will be understoodthat various modifications may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention. For example, memhere which may be hinged to theheating chamber or trolley may be provided for supporting the flaps intheir extended positions, instead of supporting them by the ends of theflanges engaging with the heating chamber. Furthermore, the heatingchamber may be heated by water or other fluid, for example, byconstructing the heating chamber with a water jacket which may be heatedby electric immersion heaters, by electric heaters clamped to the bottomor other surface thereof, or by gas or other forms of heating.

I claim 1. A table or trolley comprising a boxlike chamber supported onlegs, the upper surface of the boxlike chamber being provided withheat-conducting containers within which food products may 'be placed,said containers extending into said chamber so as to be inheat-conducting relation with the interior thereof, a rim around saidupper. surface, a pair of flaps respectively hinged adjacent the topedges at opposite sides of the boxlike chamber which are each adapted inone position to overlie the upper surface of the chamber, inspacedrelation one above the other, with the underneath flap fittingagainst the rim, and are each adapted to swing in opposite directions soas to form extension surfaces on opposite sides of the said uppersurface, a platform positioned within the chamber beneath theundersides'of the containers, an aperture in a side wall of the boxlikechamber for permitting access to the platform, a door for closing saidaperture, and heating means positioned beneath said platorm. l

2. A table or trolley comprising a boxlike chamber supported on legs,the upper surface of the boxlike chamber being provided withheatconducting containers within which food products may be placed, saidcontainers extending into said chamber so as to be in heat-conductingrelation with the interior thereof, a pair of flaps respectively hingedadjacent the top edges at opposite sides of the boxlike chamber and eachadapted in one position to overlie the uppersurface of the chamber inspaced relation, one above the other, and to swing in oppositedirections so asto form extension surfaces on opposite sides of the'said upper surface, a platform positioned within the chamber beneath theundersides of the containers, an aperture in a side wall of the boxlikechamber for permitting access to the platform, a door for'closing saidaperture, and an electric heating element positioned beneath saidplatform. a

3. A table or trolley comprising a tubular framework having legportions, a boxlike chamber carried by said tubular framework, the uppersurface of the boxlike chamber being provided with containers withinwhich food products may be placed, two tubular members of said frameworkextending respectively adjacent the top edges of opposite sides of saidchamber, two flaps respectively mounted for swinging movement about oneof said tubular members, and each adapted in one position to overlie theupper surface of the chamber and said containers in spaced relation, oneabove the other, and to swing in opposite directions so as to formextension surfaces on opposite sides of the said upper surface, andmeans for heating the chamber.

4. A food serving trolley comprising a box-like chamber, a plurality ofheat-conducting receptacles within which food products may be placedprovided in the upper surface of said chamber, each of said receptaclesextending into the chamber, so as to be in heat-conducting relation withthe interior of the chamber, a means in the chamber for heating the airin the chamber and thereby warming or keeping warm food productscontained in the receptacles, an opening in a side wall of the chamberfor introducing into and removing from the chamber plates to be keptwarm, movable means for normally closing said opening, legs forsupporting such chamber, and a pair of hinged flaps each adapted in oneposition to overlie substantially the whole of the upper surface of thechamber, one above the other in spaced relation and each adapted toswing in opposite directions about horizontal axes respectively disposedadjacent to the two side walls of the character to positions in whichthey respectively form extension surfaces at opposite sides of the saidupper surface.

5. A food serving table or trolley as claimed in claim 4, wherein thereceptacles are each provided with individually removable lids whichcom.- pletely close the receptacles, the distance between said uppersurface and said flaps when closed being sufiicient to accommodate saidlids on the receptacles.

6. A table or trolley comprising a box-like chamber supported on legs,the upper surface of the box-like chamber being provided with containerswithin which food products may be placed, a rim around said uppersurface, a pair of flaps respectively hinged adjacent the top edges atopposite sides of the box-like chamber which are each adapted in oneposition to overlie the upper surface of the chamber, one above theother, with the underneath flap fitting against the rim so as to formjointly with said rim and upper surface, a further closed chamber, saidflaps being adapted to swing in opposite directions, stop means forsup-porting said flaps in a horizontal position so as to form extensionsurfaces on opposite sides of the said upper surface, and means forheating the chamber.

7. A food serving table or trolley comprising an oblong, box-likechamber having two longer and two shorter side walls, a plurality offood receptacles in the upper surface of the said chamber, and two flapsadapted in one position to lie one above the other, each to overlie saidreceptacles and substantially the whole of the upper surface of thechamber, each said flap being hinged to said chamber alongside one ofsaid longer side walls for movement about a horizontal axis to exposethe said upper surface and form lateral extension surfaces on oppositesides thereof.

LAWRENCE GEORGE HAWKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 296,043 Neumuller et al Apr. 1,1884 543,519 Young July 30, 1895 1,037,771 Hughes Sept. 3, 19121,170,712 Trombley Feb. 8, 1916 1,375,148 Guidal Apr. 19, 1921 1,455,395Exum May 15, 1923 1,585,834 Drinkwater May 25, 1926 1,727,395 CoffeySept. 10, 1929 1,948,937 De Muth Feb. 27, 1934 1,975,320 Hamilton Oct.2, 1934 2,122,969 Whitcomb July 5, 1938 2,187,196 Douglass Jan. 16, 19402,481,384 Blackwell Sept. 6, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date442,390 Great Britain Feb. 7, 1936 568,873 France Jan. 2, 1924

